Intima–media thickness of internal carotid arteries and total carotid plaque area: two surrogate endpoints of which the former has to be considered a weaker putative measure of subclinical atherosclerosis compared with the latter

2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renato De Vecchis ◽  
Antonio Ciccarelli ◽  
Carmela Cioppa
2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1119.3-1120
Author(s):  
L. Nacef ◽  
H. Ferjani ◽  
H. Riahi ◽  
Y. Mabrouk ◽  
E. Labbene ◽  
...  

Background:Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at higher cardiovascular risk (CVR) than the general population due to chronic inflammation. Several factors, both modifiable and non-modifiable, can increase this risk. Intima-media thickness (IMT) was considered as a marker for atherosclerosis.Objectives:This study aimed to identify predictor factors of increasing IMT.Methods:The prospective study was carried out on patients with RA who met the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria. These patients were followed in the rheumatology department of the Kassab Institute. The socio-demographic data, biological and immunological parameters were collected.Framingham’s score quantified the cardiovascular risk at 10-years. Carotid Ultrasonography (US) using a high resolution B mode carotid measured intima-media thickness (IMT) as a subclinical marker of atherosclerosis. Carotid US was performed in the supine position, according to American Society of Echocardiography guidelines. IMT was measured in the left (LCC) and right (RCC) common carotid arteries, the left (LIC) and right (RIC) internal carotid arteries, and the left (LEC) and right (RIC) internal carotid arteries. An increased IMT was defined as ≥0.9 mm.We analyzed data by the SPSS statistical package. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant.Results:Of the 47 patients surveyed, 78.7% were female. The mean age was 52.5 ±11.06 [32-76]. The duration disease was 86.25 ±63 months [5-288] and was erosive in 81.6% of cases. The rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive in 57.8% of patients, and citrullinated antipeptide antibodies (ACPA) were present in 62.2%. Eight patients had a previous CV history (hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia) and 16.4% were active smokers. Among women, 43.6% were postmenopausal. ITM was significantly higher in men at LIC (0.037) and LEC (0.025). Older age was associated with increased ITM in LIC (p=0.046; r=0.295), LEC (p=0.05; r=0.412), RCC (p=0.034; r=0.317), and REC (p=0.009; r=0.382). The ITM for LCC, LIC, LEC, RCC, RIC, and REC was higher in postmenopausal women, with no significant difference (p=0.782, p=0.208, p=0.877, r=0.734, p=0.808, p=0.437, respectively).Among the modifiable factors, active smoking was associated with a higher ITM at the REC level (p=0.047). However, weight was not associated with an increased ITM (LCC: p=0.092; LIC: p=0.985; LEC: p=0.952; RCC: p=0.744; RIC: p=0.210; REC: p=0.510). In our study, there was no significant association between DAS28 disease activity or inflammatory marks and ITM (LCC: p=0.784; LIC: p=0.316; LEC: p=0.420; RCC: p=0.784; RIC: p=0.484; REC: p=0.754).Conclusion:In our study, the non-modifiable factors associated with increased ITM were advanced age and male gender. The modifiable factor impacting ITM was primarily active smoking. Surprisingly, disease activity and biological inflammation did not influence ITM.References:[1]S. Gunter and al. Arterial wave reflection and subclinical atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical and experimental rheumatology 2018; 36: clinical e.xperimental.[2]Aslan and al. Assessment of local carotid stiffness in seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid Arthritis. Scandinavian cardiovascular journal, 2017.[3]Martin i. Wah-suarez and al, carotid ultrasound findings in rheumatoid arthritis and control subjects: a case-control study. Int j rheum dis. 2018;1–7.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


Author(s):  
O. Belyaeva ◽  
V. Mandal ◽  
N. Ananyeva ◽  
O. Berkovich ◽  
E. I. Baranova ◽  
...  

Severity of atherosclerosis of common carotid arteries in patients with abdominal obesity (aged from 30 to 55 years old) was evaluated by ultrasound duplex scan. Atherosclerotic plaques of common and/or internal carotid arteries were revealed in 35% of patients. Correlations were observed between intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery, blood pressure levels, waist circumference and metabolic parameters.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 526.2-526
Author(s):  
L. Nacef ◽  
H. Ferjani ◽  
K. Maatallah ◽  
Y. Mabrouk ◽  
H. Riahi ◽  
...  

Background:Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are exposed to a multifactorial cardiovascular risk: chronic inflammation, endogenous and exogenous factors, and treatment.Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of RA treatments on cardiovascular risk and the influence of supra aortic trunks.Methods:This is a prospective study conducted on RA patients followed-up between March and December 2020 at the rheumatology department of the Mohamed Kassab Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology. Socio-demographic data of patients and characteristics of the disease were collected. The disease activity was evaluated by the Disease Activity Score 28. Prescribed treatments were specified. Ultrasonography of the supra aortic trunks was performed by measuring, in centimeters, the Intima-media Thickness (IMT) at the level of the left (LCC) and right (RCC) common carotid arteries, the left (LIC) and right (RIC) internal carotid arteries and the left (LEC) and right (REC) internal carotid arteries.Results:Of the 47 patients surveyed, 78.7% were female. The mean age was 52.5 ±11.06 [32-76]. The average RA progressed from 86.25 ±63 [5-288] and was erosive in 81.6% of cases. The rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive in 57.8% of patients, and citrullinated antipeptide antibodies (ACPA) were present in 62.2%. The treatments taken were: Methotrexate (MTX) (54.5%), Sulfasalazine (SLZ) (1.8%), Leflunomide (LFN) (3.6%), a combination of cs-DMARDs (5.5%), and biotherapy (10.9%). The prescribed biotherapies were: Etanercept (3.6%), Adalimumab (1.8%), Certolizumab (1.8%), Infliximab (3.6%). Corticosteroids (CT) were prescribed in 38.2% of patients, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (3.6%), and analgesics (41.8%).CT had a protective effect on IMT in LIC (p=0.031) and RIC (p=0.016). MTX had a significant protective effect on IMT in RIC (p=0.002) and LEC (p=0.033).SLZ was associated with an increase in IMT at the RIC level (p=0.05). There was no association between NSAID use and IMT. MTX and CT were significantly associated with a decrease in SCORE (p=0.02; p=0.05, respectively). There was a non-significant association between SLZ or LFN and decreased SCORE (p=0.140, p=0,970).Conclusion:In our series, patients taking MTX and CT had a lower IMT than those not taking these drugs. SLZ was associated with an increase in IMT. NSAIDs did not affect IMT in our study.References:[1]Pasquale Ambrosino and al, Subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis A meta-analysis of literature studies. Thrombosis and Haemostasis 113.5/2015[2]Hyun-Je Kim and al, Effects of Methotrexate on Carotid Intima-media Thickness in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences 2015.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1117.3-1118
Author(s):  
L. Nacef ◽  
H. Ferjani ◽  
H. Riahi ◽  
K. Maatallah ◽  
Y. Mabrouk ◽  
...  

Background:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is chronic inflammatory rheumatism characterized by an independent cardiovascular (CV) risk. The screening of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in the common carotid artery appears to be a marker of atherosclerosis and is used as a specific tool for CV risk assessment.Objectives:The main of this study was to determine the most associated US sites with CV risk in RA.Methods:The present study is a prospective study conducted on Tunisian RA patients in rheumatology department of Mohamed Kassab University Hospital (March and December 2020). The characteristics of the patients and those of the disease were collected. The measurement of cIMTwas done using high-resolution B-mode carotid US with a Philips machine with the patient in supine position, according to AmericanSociety of Echocardiography guidelines.The carotid bulb below itsbifurcation and the internal and external carotid arteries were evaluated bilaterally with gray scale, spectral and color Doppler ultra-sonography using proprietary software for carotid arterymeasurements.IMT was measured using the two inner layers of the commoncarotid artery and an increased IMT was defined as ≥0.9 mm. The CV risk at 10 years was calculated by the SCORE index.Results:Forty-seven patients were collected, of which 78.7% were women. The mean age was 52.5 ±11.06 years. The rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive in 57.8% of cases, and anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) were positive in 62.2% of cases. RA was erosive in 81.6% of cases. Hypertension (hypertension) was present in 14.9% of patients and diabetes in 12.8% of patients. Nine patients were active smokers. The mean IMT in the left common carotid (LCC) was 0.069 ±0.015, in the left internal carotid (LIC) was 0.069 ±0.015, in the left external carotid (LEC) was 0.060 ±0.023. The mean IMT was 0.068 ±0.01 in the right common carotid (RCC), 0.062 ±0.02 in the right internal carotid (RIC), and 0.060 ±0.016 in the right external carotid (REC). The mean SCORE index of CV risk was 2±2.81 [0-11.6]. CV risk was significantly associated with the IMTs for LIC (p=0.029; r=0.374), LEC (p=0.04; r=0.480), and REC (p=0.016; r=0.408). No association was found between the IMT in the LCC (p=0,361; r=0,162), neither in the RCC (p=0,438; r=0,140) nor the RIC (p=0,670; r=0,077).Conclusion:In our study, IMT is strongly associated with score index, especially in carotid bifurcation. However, IMT measured in common carotid does not reflect a cardiovascular risk at 10-years.References:[1]S. Gunter and al. Arterial wave reflection and subclinical atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2018; 36: Clinical E.xperimental.[2]Aslan and al. Assessment of local carotid stiffness in seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. SCANDINAVIAN CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL, 2017.[3]Martin I. Wah-Suarez and al, Carotid ultrasound findings in rheumatoid arthritis and control subjects: A case-control study. Int J Rheum Dis. 2018;1–7.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1716
Author(s):  
Eva Szabóová ◽  
Alexandra Lisovszki ◽  
Eliška Fatľová ◽  
Peter Kolarčik ◽  
Peter Szabó ◽  
...  

Microalbuminuria is closely associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in the general population. Less is known about its relationship with subclinical atherosclerosis. We aimed to assess the prevalence of microalbuminuria and its relationship with subclinical atherosclerosis in middle-aged, nondiabetic, apparently healthy individuals (N = 187; 40.1% men, 59.9% women; aged 35–55 years) as well as to evaluate its potential associations with established risk modifiers, especially with the presence of carotid plaque. Clinical and laboratory parameters, the estimated 10-year fatal cardiovascular risk (SCORE), as well as circulating, functional (flow mediated vasodilation, ankle-brachial index, augmentation index, and pulse wave velocity), and morphological markers (mean carotid intima–media thickness, and carotid plaque) of subclinical atherosclerosis were analysed in group with vs. without microalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria was present in 3.8% of individuals with SCORE risk 0.43 ± 0.79%. Functional markers predominated in both groups. Carotid intima–media thickness (mean ± SD) in both groups was in range: 0.5–0.55 ± 0.09–0.14 mm. Carotid plaque was more frequent in group with (14.3%) vs. without (4.4%) microalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria had no statistically significant effect on most markers of subclinical atherosclerosis, but the increasing value of microalbuminuria was significantly associated with the occurrence of carotid plaque (p = 0.035; OR = 1.035; 95% CI = 1.002–1.07). Additional multiple logistic regression analysis, where variables belonged to microalbuminuria, number of risk factors, and family history, finally showed only two variables: microalbuminuria (p = 0.034; OR = 1.04; 95%CI = 1.003–1.09) and the number of risk factors (p = 0.006; OR = 2.15; 95% CI = 1.24–3.73) with independent and significant impact on the occurrence of carotid plaque. Our results may indicate an association of microalbuminuria with the presence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque; in addition, microalbuminuria and the number of risk factors appear to be possible predictors of the carotid plaque occurrence. Monitoring microalbuminuria may improve the personalized cardiovascular risk assessment in nondiabetic, low-to-moderate cardiovascular risk individuals with or without hypertension.


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